RYAN MCAULEY SHOCKS BELFAST WITH PAEDOPHILE PAST AND LINKS TO LOCAL CENTRE
The lease of the Loveworks Cooperative, a community organization based at the Macrory Centre on Duncairn Gardens in North Belfast, has been terminated following revelations about one of its employees, Ryan McAuley, a convicted paedophile.The decision came amid mounting public concern and pressure after the organization’s association with McAuley was publicly exposed.
Loveworks, which previously operated a bakery, a bike repair shop, and a gardening service from the centre, announced that it would cease its activities there.
The 174 Trust, a community care organization with a Christian ethos that manages the centre, issued a statement clarifying the situation: “We would like to clarify that Loveworks Cooperative no longer operate from the Macrory Centre (on Duncairn Gardens).” In March 2021, disturbing details about McAuley’s past came to light.
The mother of a five-year-old boy, who was sexually abused by McAuley, issued a stark warning to the public, urging caution and awareness.
McAuley, aged 30, has a criminal record for sexually assaulting three children, and despite claims of reform, he has been actively involved in promotional campaigns for Loveworks, which is based at the Macrory Centre.
Shockingly, McAuley has been photographed and quoted promoting various projects associated with Loveworks, which has raised serious concerns among community members.
The mother of one of his victims, who was abused between the ages of four and seven, expressed her disbelief and anger upon discovering McAuley’s involvement in public-facing activities.
Her frustration intensified last Thursday when Loveworks contacted her to defend its association with McAuley, asserting that they believed he had changed.
“Ryan McAuley is a monster.
He will always be a danger to children,” she stated firmly.
She recounted a chilling incident in court after McAuley’s conviction, where he reportedly smirked at her and her husband, saying, “Don’t try anything.
There are cameras all over this place.” She described the incident as deeply unsettling, especially considering McAuley’s history of abuse.
Details of McAuley’s crimes emerged during his 2014 trial, revealing that he had forced his young victim to climb into a cupboard before abusing him.
At the time, McAuley was living near the schoolboy, at an address off the Falls Road.
The victim bravely testified that McAuley took him into a wardrobe, removed his trousers, and made him touch him, while warning him not to tell his mother or anyone else.
The abuse was only uncovered years later when the boy wrote a note to his mother describing his ordeal.
It was also revealed during the trial that McAuley had convictions for abusing two other children.
After serving time in prison, McAuley kept a low profile, having been assaulted while incarcerated.
However, just before Christmas, he appeared in a promotional piece for Loveworks, which highlighted efforts to help former offenders turn their lives around.
The mother of his victim expressed her disgust upon seeing his story, stating, “I couldn’t believe what I was reading.
I broke down in tears.
He is a paedophile, yet here he is working in a centre regularly used by children.” She raised concerns about the proximity of the centre to local schools, noting that there are schools on both sides of Duncairn Gardens in the New Lodge and Tigers Bay areas.
She questioned whether parents and teachers in the vicinity were aware of McAuley’s past and whether they felt comfortable with him being around children.
Last Thursday, Loveworks contacted her again to defend its association with McAuley, claiming they believed he had changed.
The mother expressed her outrage, emphasizing the impact on her son, who is now 20 but still suffers from flashbacks and paranoia.
“Knowing McAuley is wandering around Duncairn Gardens has made him paranoid and worried for other children in North Belfast,” she said.
A spokesperson for Loveworks Cooperative stated, “Loveworks Cooperative exists to support people who want to create positive change in their lives and community.
We believe everyone deserves a second chance.
Loveworks does not comment on individual clients.” In a promotional interview last December, McAuley discussed his criminal past but did not disclose that he was a convicted paedophile.
He claimed that his life had been plagued by drug addiction from the age of 11 and that he had been targeted by dissident republicans in West Belfast during his time in prison.
Describing himself as a “real gangster,” he boasted about his drug use and criminal activities, including selling cannabis and accumulating debts.
Despite his claims of being a criminal, the reality is that McAuley is a convicted sex offender who served time for abusing children.
After his release, he met a founder of Loveworks and secured employment at the Macrory Centre.
McAuley expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying, “For a stranger to trust me like that was amazing.
If it hadn’t been for him taking that chance on me, I would be dead now.”
